Typographical composing and casting machine



April s, 192s( 1,579,812

A. W. F. GUEST TYPOGRAPHICAL CONPOSINGy AND CASTING IIACHINE Filed April 16, 1923 Ei @Wi Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT o'sFicE. g

.ALFRED W. F. GUEST, OF BROOKLYN, NEW'YORK, ASSGNB, T0 ITERGENTHALER LNO- TYPE COMPANY, A GORPOR'ATIGNOF NEW.4 YORK.

TYPOGRAPHICAL COIPOSNGrVAND CASTING )MACHINE Application filed April 16, w23.` Serial No. 632,238.

To all (whom t may confer-n:

Be it known that I, Atrium lV. F. GUEST,

a citizen oi the VUnited States, residing` at Brooklyn, in the county ot Kings and State o t New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typographical Composing and Casting` Machines, ot which the 'following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. A

rlhis invention relates to typographical machines, such as linotype machines ot the general organization presented in Letters Patent of the United States to O. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then composed in line in an cassembling elevator;7 the composed line then` transferred through an intermediate channel into .avertically movable iirst elevator which presents it to a mold, where upon the mold is filled with molten metal to :torni a slug or linotypeagainst the matrices which produce the type characters thereon, and the matrice-s thereafter elevated and returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from which theyT started. More particularly, it relates to that class ot machines designed to handle matrices provided with two or more superposed characters, and wherein the assembling elevator, intermediate channel, and first elevator are each provided with two sets of supporting rails whereby the matrices may be composed and maintained at an upper or lower level, or both, as desired, to locate the selected characters in operative position.

AThen it is desired to cast a slug from the lower characters of all of the matrices of a composed line (as for a solid line ot italics), it is the usual practice to assemble and maintain such matrices, not at the upper level as would otherwise be required, but at the lower level, and then .to arrest the first elevator in a slightly raised position so as to locate the selected .characters opposite the mold slot, such arrest of the elevator being ordinarily eiected by a stop Vmember mounted on the vise frame and adapted to be thrown into action at the will of the operator. Similarly, in the vuse of head-letter matrices or matrices with characters above 14 pt. the same practiceis followed so as to eiiiect the proper alinement ofthe matrix vcharacters with the mold slot. The foregoing practice has given rise to veryserious objections, as it frequently happens that an operator, through oversight or carelessness,

will assemble matrices at the upper level L chine is equipped with a safety devicewhich acts when the elevator stop is in active position to arrest the operation ot the machine unless the matrices are composed at the lower level, as required. In the en'lbodiment herein illustrated, the safety device is in the form of a pivoted lever mounted on the vise ramcfand carrying,` at one end Lan inter-v ponent which in oney position will permit the operation by the first elevator of the well known vise automatic but which in anotherposition will'prevent such operation of the vise automatic and thereby bring about the disengagement ot the main drivingl clutch of the machine. Theposition otv the interponent is controlled by that of the adjustable supporting blade of the assembling` elevator which controls ther level atA which the matrices are composed,` In other words, when the matrix supporting blade of the assembling` elevator is withdrawn to inactive position, so as to permit thev matrices to be composed at the lower level, then the interponent mayoccupy its inactive position so as to permit the depression ot the vise automatic by t-he.l first elevator, i whether the latter is arrested in a raised position or allowed to descend toits normal position; but when the matrix Supporting blade of the assembling elevator is prof jected thereinto or is in active position, as

' required for the composition of the matrices at the upper level, then the safety .device is actuated to locate its interponent in position to preven the depression of the vise yautomatic 'by the first elevator in case the stop or filler piece is at the time in active posiv` tion for the arrest of the iirst elevator in raised condition. In this way, the casting operation is permitted or prevented according to the relative adjustment of thematrix supporting blade of the assembling elevator and the stop or filler piece for the first elevator.

In the accompanying drawing, the present embodiment is shown merely by way of example and in preferred form and as applied to the specific kind of machine mentioned, but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, which, it is therefore to be understood, is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view showing by full and dotted lines, a portion of a linotype machine equipped with the present improvement; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the casting mechanism, and showing the parts in the relative positions they occupy when the improved safety device is in action.

The matrices X (herein shown as of the two-letter variety) are composed in line within the assembler or assenibling` elevator' A, in the usual way. After composition of the line, the elevator A is raised into registration with the intermediate channel B, through which the line is transferred into the transporter or first elevator C. The first elevator then descends to locate the composed line before the casting mold D, which immediately advances from the rear into engagement with the line for the casting operation, the lower ears of the matrices engaging in one or the other of the aligning grooves D1 and D2 according to the level at which they are located. The assembling elevator A is formed with a pair of fixed matrix supporting rails A1 and with an adjustable matrix supporting rail A2, the adjustment of the latter being effected by means of a handle A4 fast to a rock shaft A3 carried by the elevator and connected to the rail through arms A5. The adjustable rail A2 thus determines the level at which the matrices are composed in line, said rail acting when in active position to sustain the matrices at the upper level and when in inactive position to allow them to pass to the lower level where they are sustained by the fixed rails A1. The first elevator C (Fig. 2)

is likewise formed with a pair of fixed rails C1 to sustain the matrices at the lower level and with a retractable rail C2 to sustain them at the upper level. rlhe inte 'mediate channel B is formed with two pairs of fixed rails B1 and B2, respectively, which serve to maintain the matrices at their composed levels during the transfer of the line from one elevator to the other. The foregoing parts are well known, but if further information is desired, reference may be had to the Rogers Reissue Patent No. 13,489.

In the normal operation of the machine, the first elevator C is allowed to descend to its lowermost position, as determined by the engagement of its set screw C3 with the top of the vise frame G. ln this connection, it is pointed out that the elevator is also provided with a second set screw CA1 arranged to engage and depress the so-called vise-automatic G1 as the elevator comes to rest. The operation of the vise-automatic is fully described in the Mergenthaler Patent No. 436,532 before referred to, so that no detailed description thereof seems necessary, but it may be noted that-unless it is depressed by the first elevator, the operation of the machine will be arrested almost immediately and the casting operation thereby prevented, due to the automatic disengagement of the main driving clutch.

For reasons previously noted, it is sometimes desired to arrest the first elevator in a raised position with reference to the mold, and this may be effected, as customary, by means of a stop or filler piece E pivoted to block El on the vise frame G so as to be swung into or out of active position. At its free end, the stop is provided with two contact pieces 'E2 and Et, the former being vcarried directly by the body portion of the stop and adapted to cooperate with the setl screw C3 in limiting the descent of the elevator, and the latter beingcarried by a hinged flap or section E2 and adapted to eooperate with the set screw C4 in depressing the vise automatic G1. In Fig. l, the stop or filler piece E is shown in active position and hence will bring about the arrest of the first elevator in its raised position, as well as the depression of the vise-automatic G1, in the usual way. lllhen the elevator is thus arrested, it is necessary that the matrices stand at the lower level, as otherwise the objections before mentioned will arise. Thus, if matrices were standing at the upper level, as in Fig. Q, it is evident that their lower ears would fail to enter the upper aligning groove D1 of the mold D as the latter advances from the rear, so that injury to the parts or a squirt would necessarily result.'

According to the present invention, and to obviate the foregoing objection, means are provided to stop the machine before the advance of the mold and before the casting operation, unless the matrices are standing at a lower level when the first elevator is to be arrested in its raised position. To accomplish this result, the machine is equipped wth a safety device which is controlled in such manner as to bring about such stoppage of the machine when both the elevator stop E and the assembler rail A2 are in active position. In the exemplary embodiment herein illustrated, the safety device is in the form of a long L-shaped lever F intermediately pivoted, as at F1, to the vise frame G. .At one end, the lever is provided With an interponeiit F2, adapted in one position of the lever to stand clear of the contact piece E2" (Fig. l), and adaptedin the other position ot the lever to lill the space between said contact piece and the vise iframe (Fig. 2), it being noted that the interponent F2 is beveled at one side to facilitate its entrance beneath the contact piece E* and that it is also notched to clear vthe upper end ot the vice-automatic G1. rllhe opposite end of the lever F is arranged to be acted upon by a centrally pivoted short lever F3 mounted upon a supporting bracket F* on the intermediate channel B and arranged to be acted upon in turn by an upright arm Ffltast to the assembler rock shaft A. i It will now be seen that, when the assembler rail A2 is in inactive position so as to permit the inati'ices to be composed at the lower level, the interponent F2 stands clear of the contact piece E* and hence will permit the machine to operate in the usual way.y 1iiheii, however, the assembler rail A2 is adjusted to active position for the composition of the matrices at the upper level, the-arm F acts upon the short lever F2 and through it actuates the long lever F so as to locate the interponent F2 beneath the contact piece E4. Under these conditions, when the first elevator descends, it will be arrested by the engagement'of its set screw C* with the contact piece E, which latter, instead ot being allowed to yield to depress the vise-automatic G1, is rigidly supported upon the interponent F2 and thereby prevented from depressing said vise-automatic. As a result,

the operation oi' the 4machine is immediately arrested and the casting and other devices brought to rest, tliu's avoiding` any. danger ot a squirt or injury to the parts. As Will be apparent, the safety device becomes operative only when the first elevator stop E and the assembler rail A2 ai'e both in active position. It' either is in inactive position While the other is in active position, there is no danger to be avoided and the parts are allowed to operate in the usual manner. For instance, it the .stop or liller piece is thrown back out 'of the ivay so as to permit the lirst elevator to descend to its normal position, the safety device Will not function Whether actuated or not by the adjustment' of the assembler rail; or even if the stop is set to arrest the iirst elevator in raised position, the safety device will not function so long as the assembler rail is maintained in inactive position.

As before stated, the present invention has been shown merely in preferred torni and byivay of example and as applied to the specific kind ot machine mentioned, but it is obvious that many alterations and modilications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and still be comprised Within the scope of the invention. For instance, the particular form or arrangement of the safetyl device or of `the cooperating` in .so far as such lin'iitations are specitied in theclaims. j

Having thus described my invention, its construction and inode oi operation, what I claim is, as follows: l. In a typographical con'iposing and casting machine, the combination ot means for composing matrices at different levels, means for. presenting the composed matrices at diiiereiit levels to the mold, and automatic means tor arresting the operation ot the niachine after it has been initiated when the matrices are composed at a level in conflict vvith that at which they are presented to the mold.

2. In a typographical composingand casting` machine, the combination oi an adjustable member to determine the level at which the matrices are composed, an adjustable member to determine the level at which the composed matrices are presented to the mold, and automatic means actuated by the irstmentioned member to prevent the casting operation inthe event ot the improper relative adjustment of the tivo said members.

3. In a typographical composing and casting machine, the combination of an adjust-` able member to determine the level at which ythe matrices are composed, an adjustable member to determine the levelat which the composed matrices are presented tothe mold, and automatic means actuated by the firstmentioned member Yfor yarresting the operation of the machine in the event of the iinproper relative adjustment ot the tivo said members. j l

l. ln a typographical composing and casting machine, the combination ot an adjustable member to determine the level at Which the matrices are composed, an adjustable member to determine the level at which the composed matrices are presented to the mold, and a safety device actuated by the lii'st mentioned member and controlling the operation of the machine in accordance With the relative adjustment oi' the tivo said mein- 5. In a typographical composing and casting machine, the combination of an assembler wherein the matrices are composed in line at different levels and provided with an adjustable member to determine the level of composition, a vertically movable tra-nsporter adapted to receive the composed matrices from the assembler and present them to the mold, an adjustable member to determine the vertical position of the transporter with reference to the mold, an automatic device governing the casting operation, and a safety device operative during the presenting movement ot thetransporter for controlling the operation of said automatic device in accordance with the relative adjustment of the two said members.

6. In a typographical composing and castingmachine, the combination oit an assembler wherein the matrices are composed in line at diiterent levels and provided with an adjustable member to determine the level of composition, a vertically movable transporter adapted to receive the composed matrices from the assembler and present them to the mold, an adjustable member to determine the vertical position ot the transporter with reference to the mold, an automatic device for disengaging the main driving clutch of the machine, and a safety device operative during the presenting movement ot' the transporter for controlling the ope-ration of said automatic device in accordance with the relative adjustment ot the two said members.

7. In a typographical composing` and casting` machine, the combination of an assembler provided with a matrix supporting` rail adjustable to active or inactive position, a vertically movable transporter adapted to receive the composed matrices from the assembler and present them to the mold, a stop or filler piece adjustable to active or inactive position so as to arrest said transporter in raised position or permit it to descend to its normal position, and automatic means operating while the machine is in operation for preventing the casting operation when both the matrix support- `ing rail and the stop or filler piece are in active position.

S. In a typographical composing and casting machine, the combination of an assembler provided with a matrix supporting rail adjustable to active or inactive position, a vertically movable transporter adapted to receive the composed matrices from the assembler and present them to the mold, a

stop or filler piece adjustable to act-ive or inactive position so as to arrest said transporter in raised position or permit it to descend to its normal position, and automatic means for arresting the operation oit the machine after it has been initiated when both the matrixA supporting rail and the stop or iiller piece are in active position.

9. In a typographical composing and casting machine, the combination of an assembler provided with a matrix supporting rail adjustable to active or inactive position, a vertically movable transporter adapted to receive. the composed matrices from the assembler and present them to the mold, a stop or filler piece adjustable to active or inactive position so as to arrest said transporter in raised position or permit it to descend to its normal position, an automatic stop device adapted to be actuated by the transporter, and a safety device acting to prevent the actuation of the automatic device. when both the matrix supporting rail and the stop or filler piece are in act-ive position.

l0. In a linotype machine, the combination ot the assembler A provided with the matrix supporting` rail A2, the first elevator C, the stop or ller piece E provided with the movable flap E2, the vise-automatic G1, and the safety device. F arranged to prevent the operation of the vise-automatic. when both the stop or filler piece and the matrix supporting rail are in use.

11. In a linotype machine, the combination of the assembler A provided with theA matrix supporting rail A2, the first elevator C, the adjustable stop or filler piece E provided with the movable iap E2, the viseautomatic G1, and the safety device consisting of the lever F carrying the interponent F2, the second lever F 3, and the arm F5, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have axed my signatur-e hereto.

ALFRED IV. F. GUEST. 

